16 years

Today marks 16 years from the day that I was told that I had cancer the first time. I was seven months pregnant with my second son and was still in the operating room after having a lymph node biopsied with local anesthesia. The pathologist called my surgeon and confirmed that it was Hodgkin lymphoma. It seems like yesterday that my mom told me that she was willing to share anything with me -- but had hoped this wouldn't be one of those things. You see, she had Hodgkin lymphoma just four years earlier in 1989.

I am so happy to be a long-term survivor and have participated with Team in Training on three separate occasions to raise funds to help find a cure for blood cancers. I have coached other participants to walk half marathons and marathons as well. On March 4th of this year, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. There is a good chance that this cancer was caused by the external radiation used to cure the Hodgkin's. We must find cures that don't increase a survivor's risk for other cancers.

GO TEAM! ~Kristi